By John Irish
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23 (Reuters) – U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday a team of inspectors was on its way to Iran should Tehran and European powers reach a deal this week to avert the reimposition of international sanctions.
Iran and European powers met earlier on Tuesday, agreeing to continue talks to strike a last-ditch deal to avert the so-called snapback.
Those talks centre on European demands that Iran restores access for U.N. nuclear inspectors to its most sensitive nuclear facilities, addresses concerns about its stock of enriched uranium, and engages in talks with the United States.
“Everything is possible. Where there is a will, there is a way,” Grossi said. “We have our inspectors and inspectors are on the way and there is the possibility to start on this work depending on the political will of Iran.”
With the reimposition of sanctions set for Saturday evening, time is running out, but Grossi said there were still “intense” conversations between him, Iran, European powers and the United States to find a solution.
“We have just a few hours, days, to see whether something can be achieved, and this is the effort in which we are all embarked on,” he said.
Grossi agreed technical measures with Iran in Cairo earlier this month that would pave the way for the resumption of IAEA inspectors at sites including those bombed by the U.S. and Israel in June. But with scant detail and no timeframe they have come under fire given the urgency ahead of snapback.
Grossi acknowledged that the European powers wanted to see how those measures could fit into the current discussions given they needed to see immediate tangible progress between the IAEA and Iran.
“This is what we are trying to discern and trying to discuss with Iran. But of course time is shorter,” he said, adding that one element he had discussed with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was the completion by Tehran of a special report that would outline the state of its nuclear facilities.
(Reporting by John IrishEditing by Mark Potter and Nia Williams)
